Report of Society's Meetings. 213 
transmitted through the final crushing roller of a mill, which previously 
was hid in obscurity. The objectionable use of bolts for setting up the 
lower rollers has been dispensed with, the advancing of the rollers into 
position being carried out by the wedge piece GG Figs, i and 2 seen 
on the drawing. 
The introduction of large Cane Mills of late years, has not given out 
that high extraction by grinding Canes in large quantities, as was 
anticipated, and having already stated that 65 per cent, may fairly be 
taken as the average extraction, I think I am fairly within reasonable 
bounds and am not under-rating the amount of work done. To illus- 
trate my meaning I will take a mill of the following dimensions : 
34 x 78 as a fair example. In arranging a mill of this size ready for 
work, the final crushing roller would be set about one eighth (£) of an 
inch of opening, but when the Mill is fully fed up this opening of one 
eighth (J) of an inch would gradually have increased to nearer three- 
eighths (f) of an inch of opening ; this is caused by the spring con- 
tained in the whole mill as a structure, and the deflection of the roller 
gudgeons owing to their lengths between the points of support. This 
three-eighths of an opening between the final crushing roller is filled up 
by a wad of Megass of equal thickness under a pressure of 240 tons at 
least, on the point of being relieved of this enormous pressure, and 
immediately this takes place, the spongy nature of the Megass, and its 
ready property of absorbing fluids, the film of liquor already alluded 
to is reabsorbed by the outgoing Megass and detracts from the working 
result of the mill. I attribute these defects, and they fully account for 
the moderate amount of extraction, 65 per cent., given out by these large 
and powerful mills. 
From the introduction of double crushing or maceration by Mr. Wil- 
liam Russell few estates in the colony have availed themselves of the 
arrangement ; this is attributable to the great expense incurred in 
placing into position the second engine and mill, necessary for the 
arrangement, and many have come to the conclusion that the gain did 
not compensate the outlay, the additional expense in fuel and labour 
being a drawback in working the second engine and mill ; to obtain the 
additional percentage which I take at 10 per cent, which is now lost, by 
the Mills now at work, and with a reasonable amount of fuel and 
labour, the work must be done by one engine and mill and in one 
operation. 
If I am not too confident, a prevailing weakness among inventors, I 
